| Seille | |
|---|---|
 The Seille atVic-sur-Seille | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | France |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Azoudange,Moselle |
| Mouth | |
• location | Moselle |
• coordinates | 49°7′32″N6°11′8″E / 49.12556°N 6.18556°E /49.12556; 6.18556 |
| Length | 138 km (86 mi) |
| Basin size | 1,348 km2 (520 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 10.5 m3/s (370 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Moselle→Rhine→North Sea |
TheSeille (French pronunciation:[sɛj];German:Selle) is ariver in north-easternFrance. It is a right tributary of theMoselle. It is also known as theSeille lorraine or theGrande Seille ("large Seille"), to distinguish it from anotherSeille, a smalltributary of theSaône.
It originates nearAzoudange, in the department ofMoselle. Leaving the Lindre lake, it skirts the town ofDieuze, and traversesVic-sur-Seille andNomeny, before flowing into the Moselle atMetz. It is 138 km long,[1] and has a basin area of 1348 km2. Most of its length is in the department of Moselle, except for the part betweenAulnois-sur-Seille andCheminot, which is inMeurthe-et-Moselle. The Seille also forms theborder between Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle fromChambrey to Aulnois-sur-Seille.
Originating in the Pond region, the Seille then crosses theSaulnois, a region in the south of Moselle. This section of the river is part of theParc naturel régional de Lorraine ("Regional Natural Park of Lorraine"). The river then flows into a large valley, the ground of which is composed mainly ofmarl andclay. Since theMiddle Ages, there has been much work performed on the Seille, in part to straighten it (to render itnavigable), to drain the nearbyswamps, and to limitflooding of adjacent low-lying areas.
Its linear course and the treelessness of its banks makes it of little interest to the landscape, and today the erosion of its banks poses problems. Despite this, the valley is ofbiological interest:salt water resurgences have led to the presence of various plant species that are usually confined tocoast lines, includingglasswort,aster tripolium, andsea-spurreys.
As of 2004[update], work is being done on the river: the banks of the river are beingreforested, and anoxygenation system is being installed.
The Seille has a number oftributaries, the most important of which are:
Downstream, the Seille is much less straight, following a contorted path along the border of the department of Moselle.
This section of the river has comparatively few tributaries:
Finally, inMetz, after passing thePorte des Allemands (a 13th-century castle, lit. "Gate of the Germans"), it flows into the right bank of the Moselle.
The river is classified as "Category II" (categories are based on types of fish), and is the habitat for a very large variety of fish.It is also home to a variety of other animals, such asotters,herons, andcaterpillars.The Seille suffers fromeutrophication.
Numerous towns and villages incorporate the name of the river. Some examples include: Aboncourt-sur-Seille, Aulnois-sur-Seille, Bey-sur-Seille, Brin-sur-Seille, Coin-sur-Seille, Haraucourt-sur-Seille, Mailly-sur-Seille, Malaucourt-sur-Seille, Moncel-sur-Seille, Morville-sur-Seille, Port-sur-Seille, and Vic-sur-Seille.The suffix "sur-Seille" means "on the Seille" in French, and the practice is analogous to the English place names that incorporate river names, such as Newcastle upon Tyne.
Tributaries of the riverMoselle | ||
|---|---|---|
| From the left |  | |
| From the right | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
